There’s a name for when you indulge in small and affordable pleasures, like having a pastry with your coffee. On TikTok, it’s called little treat culture. Maybe you reward yourself with an iced latte for getting through an intense workout, or you book a spa appointment after finishing a big project at work.
As a former therapist, I know how important it is to practice self-care and celebrate your wins. Even though I’ve learned to be more financially responsible, my guilty pleasure is shopping for clothes. I love getting a new sweater in a bright color for spring or a cozy knit for winter. (In my mind, it’s always sweater weather.) But sometimes these purchases leave me feeling more guilty than happy, so it’s worth finding other ways to reward myself that don’t cost as much.
As an experiment, I spent a week treating myself with something either free or inexpensive – once a day, every day. Here’s how it went.
How I Treated Myself Every Day For a Week
Sunday
It’s hard for me to escape the Sunday scaries. If you’re not familiar with this term, it’s that feeling of dread as you start thinking about what you need to accomplish during the week. After writing a to-do list, I treated myself to a nap with my dogs on the deck.
I didn’t make note of the time or set an alarm to wake up. I just let myself fall asleep when I felt tired. All I noticed was the orange glow you see when you shut your eyes and the sound of birds chirping. I wasn’t sure how long I slept but I woke up feeling more refreshed than when I nap on the couch.
Monday
It’s a 10-minute walk to the building where I work. This Monday, I decided to take a detour and treat myself to a triple-chocolate cookie topped with chunks of white chocolate, which cost $2. When I got to my desk, instead of diving into emails right away, I spent a few minutes looking out the window at a view of the mountains. I had a bite of my cookie while I sipped on an iced coffee I had made at home. The cookie was still warm, and it was the perfect combination of crispy edges and soft center. I started feeling like I wanted a glass of milk, so I saved the rest of my treat for lunch.
Tuesday
I continued the food theme on Tuesday. Since I had a couple of meetings in the afternoon, I decided to treat myself to lunch. I went to a nearby restaurant and ordered $17 pasta with goat cheese and truffle cream. The restaurant was a bit noisy, so I ended up taking my meal back to the office.
I savored each bite of pasta while watching an episode of “Teen Mom: Family Reunion.” I didn’t look at my email or anticipate what I would say during forthcoming meetings. I just focused on eating and letting my food digest.
Wednesday
I love having two dogs; there’s always someone to cuddle with. But sometimes I miss having one-on-one time with them, especially my french bulldog, Rusty, who helped me grieve the loss of my dog Dally.
Since I was working from home today, I was able to take my other bulldog, Frankie, for a solo walk in the morning. Then, I spent 30 minutes outside alone with Rusty. We played for a bit and then he fell asleep next to me. I didn’t take any pictures or videos like I would normally. I wanted to focus on being present and enjoying our time together.
Thursday
I had a different take on treating myself this day: I decided that Thursday was a day to relieve myself of obligations. I declined a meeting with an acquaintance whom I hadn’t spoken to in over a year. (They hadn’t inquired about my availability. They just said that they had been too busy to reach out after starting a new job and requested a video chat at a specific time.)
Later at lunch, I had a slice of pizza and didn’t eat the crust. It’s my least favorite part of a pizza, but I always feel pressured to eat it because I grew up with family members who thought that wasting food is a sin.
Friday
To close out the workweek, I opted for some retail therapy. I bought a $30 concealer to replace a product that was almost finished. Since this makeup purchase felt more like a necessity, I also treated myself to a pair of sneakers that were on sale for $45. I have a few pairs of these shoes in neutral colors, so I thought it would be fun to get something I already love in a bright pink color. (Think Barbie pink.)
Saturday
For the last day of this experiment, I had a solo, mini movie marathon. I bought popcorn for $6 from a local movie theater and headed home to watch “Now and Then” followed by “The Baby-Sitters Club.” Watching these movies was a back-to-school ritual I used to do every summer, even when I was in grad school.
I’m three times the age I was when I first saw these movies. Still, it was fun to reminisce and sing along to “Band of Gold” and “Knock Three Times” during “Now and Then.” The original plan was to watch a movie I hadn’t seen before – or at least something from this century – but I found myself agonizing about what to watch and instead went for something comforting and nostalgic.
Final Thoughts
The most eye-opening part of this week was how much I equate productivity with self-worth. I’ve always felt like I needed to do something to be deserving of a reward. This experiment pushed me to make each day a “treat day,” regardless of what I accomplished. While I wouldn’t necessarily treat myself every day of the week going forward, this experiment encouraged me to think of small habits I could incorporate into my weekly routines.
One habit is making time to rest at the start of the week rather than trying to catch up on sleep after a long workday. Other practices I would carry forward include incorporating more one-on-one time with my dogs and enjoying a decadent treat from time to time. This week also got me thinking about breaking people-pleasing habits: saying no to meetings or gatherings that don’t serve me well is something I’d like to continue. And in the spirit of letting things go, making new purchases inspired me to go through my assortment of makeup and skin-care products and discard expired items.
All in all, I would recommend occasional treat days to help silence the internal debate on whether you’re doing enough. Treats may seem frivolous, but they can provide joy and comfort, which we need and deserve.
Nandini Maharaj, PhD, is a trained therapist with a master’s degree in counseling and a doctorate in public health. Her writing on health, wellness, relationships, and dogs has been featured by PS, Self, Well+Good, Business Insider, Apartment Therapy, the American Kennel Club, and more.
